How to watch sports live without cable (or even a TV)

The best option out there for the biggest sports fan is fuboTV(opens in a new tab). It offers access to a wide array of local and national channels in real time so you don't miss out. You get access to the big channels like Fox, CBS, NBC, and more, plus tons of sports channels. Not only do you get the standard NFL, NBA, and MLB, you can also watch NHL, NASCAR, golf, boxing, MMA, tennis, college sports, and more. And of course, you get all of the big sporting events like the Super Bowl and World Cup. It's the total sports package.

The Pro plan includes 128 channels,1000 hours of cloud DVR space, and the ability to watch on unlimited screens (10 at home). There's also more advanced packages like the Elite or Ultimate plan, which include more channels, events in 4K, family sharing, and add-ons like Showtime.

There is a free, seven-day trial available for each of the packages so you can test the water before committing to the full price.

Another great option out there right now is Hulu Live(opens in a new tab). Hulu, as a service, built itself by offering on-demand network and cable TV shows the day after they aired but eventually began to develop their own series too, like the Emmy Award-winning show The Handmaid's Tale. While that may not sound conducive to watching sports, that's where Hulu Live comes in.

By signing up for Hulu Live or upgrading from the base $7.99 service, you get access to live TV through most major networks, plus some local channels as well. That means Fox, NBC, CBS, and their affiliated sports channels are right there at your fingertips on any device. The portability of Hulu cannot be overstated. Not only can you watch it on your smart TV or your laptop, but via the Hulu app as well on any compatible device. 

Hulu organizes channels and networks by genre, so you can find Group B games in the World Cup or jump between MLB games. It also makes finding replays easier as well, so if you miss any vital moments in big sporting events like the World Cup or Super Bowl, you can easily go back and watch them. And while Hulu Live might not get as many local channels as some other offerings, you do get a pretty decent movie selection with it.

It'll currently cost you $69.99 per month for Hulu + Live TV, but expect a price increase when December rolls around to $74.99 per month. Even with the pending price hike, the Hulu + Live TV bundle, which comes with ESPN+ and Disney+, is one of the best deals around.

CBS's entry in the streaming space, Paramount+(opens in a new tab) (formerly CBS All Access), gets into more specific desires when it comes to sports viewing.

Compared to most other networks, CBS offers the best coverage of men's NCAA basketball. From the men's regular season, division championships, and finally March Madness, CBS has established itself as the undisputed king of college basketball. You'll also find NFL AFC games and Champions League soccer on Paramount+

Since rebranding to Paramount+ from CBS All Access, the service has also added a wide selection of movies from Paramount, Miramax, and MGM in addition to the CBS programming you've come to rely on. So come for the soccer, but stay for the NCIS.

NFL+(opens in a new tab) is one of the best of the dedicated league services out there. We don't have to tell you that NFL Sunday is one of the biggest modern traditions for sports fans, with friends and families gathering at the house, apartment, bar — wherever — to see how their teams will play that week. NFL+ provides the most die-hard fans with an avenue to keep up with every game, every week.

The basic NFL+ plan offers subscribers live out-of-market preseason games, live local and primetime regular and postseason games on your phone and tablet, as well as live audio for every game. For just $5 more per month, you can sign up for a Premium plan and also get access to ad-free game replays across devices, condensed game replays across devices, coaches film, and more. If you're a regular fan who wants to keep up with your team, the basic plan should be fine. If you're a hardcore super fan, the extra $5 per month will unlock more footage to obsess over. And, like most of the services on this list, NFL+ offers a seven-day free trial to see how you like it.

Mashable's tech reporter Alex Perry found that the app's new streaming offering needs some work, so hopefully we'll see some improvements — particularly involving stream quality and user experience — as the season goes on.

The NFL has entered the modern streaming age, whether we like it or not. Thursday Night Football will exclusively be streamed on Amazon Prime Video for the 2022-2023 season, starting week two, and for the next 10 seasons after that. NFL lovers are in it for the long haul with Amazon's 11-year deal(opens in a new tab). That's a total of 15 regular season games that will require a streaming subscription. Nearly every team has at least one TNF game each season, so there isn't a single fanbase that's safe from this streaming change. (You can find the schedule for Thursday night games on Amazon’s website(opens in a new tab)).

If you're already an Amazon Prime member, you're good to go. Just pull up the app on a Thursday night and watch your favorite teams duke it out on the road to the Super Bowl. If not, you can choose to sign up for a full Prime membership(opens in a new tab) ($14.99 per month) and get a ton of other perks, or sign up for Prime Video only ($8.99 per month) and get access to exclusive Prime Video content in 4K HDR, as well as the ability to rent movies at your leisure. If you don't plan on using Prime for the other perks and content, it's a bit expensive just to watch one game per week.

If you love football — college football, in particular — DirecTV Stream gives you more college and regional sports networks than any other streaming provider. That also includes ESPN, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC networks, and more. If you're a fan of an out-of-network team, this is also your best bet for catching games live. There's just one catch: you'll need at least the Choice package ($89.99/month) to access those networks and costs can add up quickly.

Since DirecTV Stream is a cable alternative, first and foremost, you'll get over 105 channels that span entertainment and news, as well as sports. That's great if you want access to more than just sports, but kind of unnecessary for those who only want football coverage.

The good news is DirecTV offers a brief free trial (five days) and usually runs promotional deals for the first couple months. And with no ongoing contract, there's no long-term commitment — so you can subscribe for college football season, then move on. However, it's definitely a bit pricey if that's all you're after.

Since 1979, ESPN has dominated sports coverage, providing 24/7 coverage of all professional sports in the United States. As time has gone on, the network has evolved and expanded, covering sports from all over the world and an ever growing list of sports related shows and specials.

That sort of coverage and varied programming is what makes ESPN+(opens in a new tab) worth it, and a steal at the affordable price of $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. While it doesn't get the same number of big games as some other networks or providers, ESPN+ definitely makes up for it in sheer variety. You could go from MLB to college lacrosse to tennis in a snap. Add to that programs like 30 for 30 and SportsCenter and ESPN+ originals, and you've got a pretty decent sports offering right there.

You also have the option to bundle ESPN+ with Disney+ and Hulu for as low as $13.99 per month if you want to add more bang for you buck.

Sling TV(opens in a new tab) is a pretty bare bones cable alternative. The basic subscription choices give you some of the big channels, but if you want cloud DVR and access to all of the sports you love, you'll have to pay additional costs.

Sling has two standard subscriptions, Orange and Blue, that each feature different sports channels. For the best deal, we suggest going for the combination package that gives you all the channels from both plans for $15 more per month. These include ESPN, NBC Sports, and a couple others.

To really utilize Sling as a sports streaming platform, you'll definitely want to add on the sports extra for an additional $11 per month. Unfortunately, local channels are not automatically included with Sling TV, but that's not a huge issue because all you have to do to gain access is install an HD antenna.

YouTube built its domination of the internet as an easy-to-use video platform that started in the mid-2000s. As time went on, it became a new entertainment platform with some of the biggest personalities and content providers on the internet. As such, this has helped it grow to the point where it can now offer live programming.

This is where YouTubeTV(opens in a new tab) comes into the equation. Growing out of the original platform and YouTube Red, YouTubeTV offers live coverage of most major networks, including sports affiliates. That means FSN and NBCSN are available so that you don't miss the biggest games of the week, much like fuboTV and Hulu Live.

And unlike a cable provider that's going to lock you into a contract, a site like YouTubeTV lets you cancel at any time. This means that if you're really only into basketball, you can tune in during the regular season then cancel your account once the NBA finals conclude. And, much like Fubo and Hulu, you can try YouTube TV free for seven days if you're undecided.

The downside is that YouTubeTV(opens in a new tab) is a little more limited in its offerings when it comes to local channels, giving services like the aforementioned Hulu(opens in a new tab) and Fubo(opens in a new tab) an edge. That said, it does provide access to YouTube Red, which has slowly been building a large and varied catalogue of original content.

NBC created its own streaming platform called Peacock TV and is slowly moving all of its content from other streaming sites onto its own. But, Parks & Rec and 30 Rock aren't the only things to enjoy on the platform — there's also a robust sports selection.

The base package is free and includes golf, tennis, sports talk, and all the entertainment content Peacock offers. The Premium tier includes additional sports like Premier League, cycling, rugby, and more, and then Premier Plus is all of that but without commercials.

Peacock Sports is awesome for people who are into a variety of sports. You won't find figure skating, rugby, or the Tour de France on many other sports streaming services. Plus, Peacock also includes the Olympic Games (although the user experience for something of that caliber could still use a little work).

For those combat sports fans, it doesn't get much bigger than the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Growing out of fairly unregulated tournaments in the '90s to see whose fighting style was best, the UFC has grown into the biggest MMA organization on the planet.

So it only makes sense that it would offer its own dedicated platform, UFC Fight Pass(opens in a new tab), for MMA fanatics to catch every fight, no matter where they are. That means you can watch an entire packed card, from the prelims to the main event, with no fuss through UFC Fight Pass. It also gets you access to every piece of content dropped by UFC, whether that be the latest in Dana White's Contender Series or a vlog following fighters leading up to a big fight.

We know what you're thinking. Yes, the idea is to cut cable. And yes, the NBC Sports(opens in a new tab) app requires a cable account in order to work. But like many other things today, thanks to technology, there's always a work around.

While there are plenty of people cutting cable, there are still plenty of others who are happy with what they have. To that end, it is always worth seeing if anyone in your family still has cable. If they do, you can simply share the account to get access. That way, you won't miss the NFL's Sunday night game or NHL's featured game of the week. Just log into the NBC Sports app and you're good to go.

If you've been on the verge of cutting your cable cord because you aren't getting enough access to sports, adding on the NBC Sports app might save you the hassle.

This one is a little more subjective, depending on how you feel about esports, but stick with us. Twitch(opens in a new tab), at its core, is a streaming service dedicated to live streaming video games, leading to a new collection of personalities, like AnneMunition and Ninja, who are able to rival some of the most successful YouTube personalities when it comes to building a devoted following.

It's because of this kind of exposure that several leagues, like the Overwatch League, have chosen to use Twitch as their core streaming platform. And given the booming popularity of esports, it only made sense that Prime Gaming would serve a major role. And the great thing here is that there are two options available. If you don't want to pay for anything, you don't have to. Just use Twitch to sit back, relax, and watch your favorite players.

Get more out of your Twitch account by signing up for Prime Gaming(opens in a new tab) (formerly Twitch Prime) if you're super into gaming. Plus, with an Amazon Prime(opens in a new tab) account, you can access live sports like football and basketball.